Circuit-controller.



PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

W. W. ALEXANDER.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 28, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. ALEXANDER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE L. A. RHEOSTAT 00., OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 734,793, dated July 28, 1903.

Serial No. 115,459. N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. ALEXAN- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missourhhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to circuitclosing devices; and the object had in view [0 is to provide a simple device of small compass for con trolling multiple circuits. In the preferred embodiment of the invention it is made in the form of a handpiece; but it is susceptible of being operated by foot-power by minor changes in details or by the addition of suitable clamping devices for holding the controller in place on the floor.

The nature, characteristic features, and scope of my invention will be more clearly 2o understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a multiple-circuit hand-controller embodying features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the upper spring-blade removed. Fig. 4: is a top plan view of the insulated base,

0 showing arrangement of local circuits. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrative of the application of the device, and Fig. 6 is a sectional detail.

Having reference to Figs. 1 to 4, A indicates a suitably-insulated base furnished with inwardly-bent lugs a or their equivalents for the readyattachment or detachment of clamping devices when the use of the latter is desirous or rendered necessary. B is a block of insulating material superposed on the support or baseAand extending nearly thelength thereof. At one end of the support there is provided a switch C, comprising a screw of relatively large pitch and having an arm 0 for convenience in turning it, and beside the screw 0 a second screw D, having a shouldered portion d. At the opposite end of the support provision is made for the reception of main circuit-wires 0a m 02 00 which are clamped to the support by plates 0. Ex-

tendinglongitudinally 0f theinsulation-block B is a spring arm or blade E, served with platinum contacts 6 e, of which the extreme one is the lowest. The block B is likewise provided with contacts I) 1), arranged to be engaged by those of the spring-arm. The block B is also furnished with contacts 5 and Z, the former provided with a branch (shown dotted in Fig. 4) which terminates in a spring 19 Fig. 6, arranged to be depressed against contact Z bythe screw C. Fig. 4. indicates diagrammatically the arrangement of the local circuits. Above the spring-bladeE and separated therefrom by a thin stripf of insulating material-such as mica, for instancethere is a relatively heavy spring-blade F, the limit of whose vertical movement'is defined by the head of screw D and which is rounded to permit freedom of movement of the pivotal arm 0. Finally, there is an upwardly-inclined finger-bar G, of spring metal, that is furnished with a button g, of hard rubber or the like, and with projections g and g the latter of insulating material, which when the finger-bar is depressed pass through enlarged apertures f of blade F and respectively operate the contacts of the blade E. The button 9 is revolubly mounted on the finger-piece and is provided with a cam-piece h, which can be made to pass under the head of screw D, and thereby hold the parts in their depressed position. trepresents rivets or the like which unite the blade F and finger-piece G, and K represents screws which serve to secure the whole.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the screw or switch 0 is provided with a washer c of insulating material, and that by turning said screw its washer c forces the spring b into engagement with contact-piecel upon which current will flow through wire 0 it-being understood that wire :0 is the common return. It will further be observed that by depressing the finger-pieceG contact is closed at b,and that when the downward pressure is continned contact is made at b, thereby closing the respective circuits w and 00 The local circuits are perfectly insulated from the handpiece by means of a thin strip m of insulating material, such as mica, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6, where said strip of insulation :00

is represented as being interposed between the metal base A and the block B with its contacts.

Referring to the diagram, Fig. 5, each contact above referred to is illustrated as controlling a separate circuitnamely, 1 controls an electric light, Z) controls an annunciator, and b controls an electric call-bell, :0 being the common return.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains that modifications may be made in details without departing from the spirit and scope of the same. Hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; but,

Having described the nature and object of the invention, I claim 1. The combination with an insulated support, a series of contacts on said support, a revoluble switch controlling one of said contacts, a depressible spring-blade adapted for electrical connection with others of said contacts, and a finger-piece for operating said spring-blade, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an insulated base, a series of contacts on said base, a revoluble switch controlling one of said contacts, a depressible spring-blade adapted for electrical connection with others of said contacts, a fingar-piece for operating the spring-blade, a strip of insulating material between the spring-blade and finger-piece, substantialiy as described.

3. The combination with a suitable base, a series of contacts thereon, a revoluble switch controlling one of said contacts, a depressible spring blade having contacts in different planes arranged for electrical connection with others of said first-mentioned contacts, a finger-piece for operating the spring-blade, and a strip of insulating material between the spring-blade and the finger-piece, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a suitable base, a block thereon, a series of contacts on said block, insulating material between the block and base, a switch controlling one of said contacts, ascrew having ahead and alowershouldered portion, adepression spring-blade having contacts in different planes arranged for electrical connection with others of said contacts, an apertured spring-blade,whose movement is controlled by said screw, a thin strip of insulating material between said springblades, and afinger-piece having projections arranged to pass through the apertures of the second spring-blade and depress the first, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a suitable insulated base, a series of contacts thereon, a revoluble switch controlling one of said contacts, a part movable in respect to said base and carrying contacts, an insulated finger-piece for actuating said part, and devices for looking the parts, substantially as described.

6. The combination with'a suitable insulated base, a series of contacts thereon, a part movable in respect to said base and carrying contacts, a switch controlling one of said contacts, a screw having a head, an insulated finger-piece for actuating said part and a movable catch on said finger-piece, arranged to engage the head, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a suitable insulated base, a series of contacts thereon, a part movable in respect to said base and carrying contacts, a switch controlling one of said contacts, a screw having a head, a finger-piece for actuating said part, a button revolnbly mounted on the finger-piece and a catch carried by said button and arranged to engage the head, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a suitable insulated base, a series of contacts thereon, a part movable in respect to said base and carrying contacts, a screw-switch controlling one of said contacts, a screw having a head an apertured spring-blade above and insulated from said part, a finger-piece having projections arranged to pass through the apertures and actuate the part, a button revolubiy mounted on the finger-piece, and a catch carried by said button and arranged to engage the screwhead, substantially as described.

9. A hand-controller such as described comprising a metal base, a block carrying contacts, insulating material between said block and base, a screw arranged to turn in one end of said block and base and carrying a washer of insulating material, a stationary screw having a head, a part movable in respect to said block and carrying contacts, an apertured spring-blade above and insulated from said part, a finger-piece having projections arranged to pass through the apertures and actuate the part, a button revolubly mounted on the finger-piece, a catch carried by the button and arranged to engage the stationary screw-head, and one of said contacts terminating in a spring arranged to be depressed by the Washer to establish electrical connection, when the screw is turned, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. ALEXANDER.

Witnesses:

M. O. GILLHAM, HENRI LETORD. 

